Do you know that feeling when you have so many things to do, but you just keep procrastinating? Although you know you need to put your mind in gear and get things done, it seems like your brain has called it quits and went on a vacation. Oh, I know that feeling all too well. Several years ago when I was finishing college and working at the same time, I had so many things on my mind that I thought I would lose it. Then, one day as I was writing my paper and getting all worked up because my computer was just too slow, I realized that it had slowed down because too many tabs were open. And then it hit me, the same thing was going on with me. I couldn’t function properly because of all the mental clutter that was hampering my productivity. Like with any problem in life, identifying it and acknowledging was half of the solution. Since then I started changing my everyday routine, and just by following several easy steps I managed to declutter my mind and welcome peace and calm back into my life. If you feel like you are on the verge of mental burnout and in need of some mental tidying, stop, take a deep breath and check out these strategies that helped me get my life back on track.
1. Take one step at a time
When I was in elementary school, I loved making to-do lists. Of course, playing with friends and doing my homework were the only two things on it most of the time, but I still loved planning out my day. In time I stopped making lists just as I stopped keeping a diary. Not so long ago I realized that those lists can be a real lifesaver. Instead of dealing with scattered thoughts and tasks all the time, I started making a list of all the things I need to do during the day, and seeing them written down on paper helped me prioritize them. Going through the list and tackling tasks one by one allowed me to focus only on what I was doing at the moment, without letting all the other things take up worry space in my mind.
2. Clean your home
You wouldn’t believe just how tidying up your home can help you achieve mental clarity. Clean your bedroom, living room, office or your wardrobe and see how it’s much easier to work productively when your setting is organized.
3. Take care of yourself
The old proverb that says that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body is really true. If you are making unhealthy choices day after day, you cannot expect that your mind will work like a well-oiled machine. Make sure you eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and lay off the junk food. In addition, ensure you get plenty of zzzs so your brain has time rest and recharge its batteries.
4. Try yoga
If you need to clear your mind and lover your stress levels, hitting the mat might not be a bad idea. The best thing about yoga is that everyone can do it, and the benefits are simply countless. Not only will you declutter your mind and achieve peacefulness, but you will also increase your brain function and lower blood pressure. Studies have shown (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19341989/) that yoga is a great method of stress management, find the perfect mat for you and give this discipline a try.
5. Turn off your TV
Night after night I told myself that I needed to watch TV in order to get myself to sleep. The irony of it all was that after staring at that device my head was filled with so much useless noise I just couldn’t fall asleep. If your mind is all over the place and you just cannot seem to focus on anything, switch off your TV every now and then, log out of Facebook and Instagram, and let your mind unwind.
A messy mind can affect your productivity, so make sure you declutter it on a daily basis. Whether you decide to practice yoga, clean your house or spend less time on social media, allowing your brain to refresh, refocus, and get back on track will improve your quality of life and allow you to be more relaxed, happier and at peace.